BusinessLive reports that the government has been accused of rushing its plans for establishing a no-fault compensation fund for severe side-effects from Covid-19 vaccines.
Stakeholders complained on Monday that a five-day public comment period was inadequate for such far-reaching proposals. The establishment of the fund by 30 April is one of the conditions set by Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and Pfizer in their negotiations with the government. Both companies have sought exemption from liability for any harm caused by their vaccines to recipients in SA. They require the government to set up a no-fault compensation scheme that limits claims. The health department released draft regulations to the Disaster Management Act setting out the government’s proposals for the fund on 15 April, and gave interested parties until 19 April to comment. “It is a matter of national importance and we shouldn’t be rushed and bullied by the global pharmaceutical industry” said Fatima Hassan of the Health Justice Initiative. Rob Hutchinson of NPO DearSA said the government’s proposals posed a significant risk to taxpayers, as the liability for serious harm caused by Covid-19 vaccines was shifted from the private sector to the state. In a reply to a parliamentary question, health minister Zweli Mkhize said a contingent liability of approximately R250m would be set aside for the fund for the first year, which was expected to cover administration costs and payouts for an estimated 800 to 2,000 successful claims.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tamar Kahn at BusinessLive
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